Chihuaha state police reported that only three homicides occurred in the Juarez area in the first three days of March, compared to 28 in the first three days of February which ended in a total of 200 deaths. Some 3,200 soldiers of the Mexican Army were sent to Juárez over the weekend and 700 federal police officers arrived on Monday as reinforcement, per El Paso Times.
Drug-cartel related violence has claimed 1,960 lives in the Juárez area since January 2008. CNS News claims that civilians ran a greater risk of being killed in Juárez last year than in Baghdad, Iraq.
The military influx elicited responses from Twitterers in El Paso, Texas, just across the border:
@briangrenier (El Paso, Texas): Martial law happening in Ciudad Júarez, Mexico.
@atra_intelexis (El Paso, Texas): 5000 more soldiers just arrived in poor sister city of juarez mexico to supposedly fight the druglords. nothing has worked so far.
@dsstudios (El Paso, Texas): our sister city (ciudad juarez, mx) is ready to explode.The recent developments in Juárez has rekindled warnings against choosing Mexico as a Spring Break destination:
@john_michael: Let's go to spring break in Palm Springs instead of Mexico. the city is marketing it as a safe druglord free place to party.
@CostOnCampus: Reminder to #students: Don't go to #Mexico for spring break...or you will die. http://palestra.net/videos/play/21980 #college
